More space and greenery mandated for cluster homes!

The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Friday (Aug 22) it has revised the guidelines for strata landed housing developments, also known as cluster homes, to determine the maximum number of units in an estate.

Under the revised guidelines, which will take effect on Saturday (Aug 23), a new set of formulae will determine the maximum number of houses developers are allowed to build in various types of strata landed housing developments. The new formulae will generally result in fewer units, the URA said in a statement.

“The move addresses feedback from residents in landed housing estates that such developments could inject a disproportionately large number of units, causing additional traffic and parking problems as well as creating a more congested living environment,” the URA said.

There are also new guidelines to enhance the communal facilities and greenery provision within such developments. Developers will have to set aside at least 45% of the land area for communal open space, up from the current 30%. Of this, a minimum of 25% has to be set aside for on-ground greenery while up to 20% can be used for communal facilities like swimming pools and playgrounds.

“By increasing the minimum communal open space to be set aside in strata landed housing developments and mandating minimum on-ground greenery coverage, we hope that strata landed housing developments will further enhance the quality of the living environment for residents,” the URA said.

Source: CNA

The wife and I are glad that URA has finally came out with the latest revision. Hopefully, this will also mean that there will be more "separation space" between rows of cluster homes within the development. One major gripe we have with most of cluster housing projects that we had seen thus far is how close your opposite neighbour's unit is to yours. We always jest that the next biggest benefactor of such development (other than the developer) is probably the curtain makers... which when one stops to ponder over, may not be entirely a joke.

And if you unit is located in a row that is stuck between two other rows of  cluster homes, your unit can come across as rather dark and gloomy (or stuffy even, with the kind of weather we get in Singapore) given that you are "blocked" from both front and back by opposite neighbours at close proximities. 

Click on link below to read the official circular from URA on the revised guidelines:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/237475141/Revised-Guidelines-for-Strata-Landed-Housing-Developments-22-Aug-2014